Automatic piano, &amp;c.



2 SHEETS-SHEET l,

Patented Dec.22,190

J. A. WESER.

AUTOMATIC PIANO, dw.

APPLICATION FILED 13110.17, 1907.

MCM/tm da. A M C t mmm` ff WMM@ @ses @4f/f J. A. WBSER.

AUTOMATIC PIANO, aw.

Willms aoc o risica.

JOHN A. WESER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATC PLANO, die.

specification of Letters Pate-nt. ,c

,Patented Bec. 22, 1998.

Application led December 17, 1901. Serial'No. 106,922.

To all 'whom it` may hherem.'

Be it known that I, JOHN A. WEsER, a citizen ofthe United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, ofthe city of New York, in the State of New York, have invented.

certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Pianos, &c.,'of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof. l

This invention relates to automatic pianos, organs and other mechanical musical instruments,in which the mechanical playing devices are inclosed within the piano or organ case, and it has for its ob'ject to etlect certain improvements in the construction, arrangement and control of the doors which close the openings in the i' case and ar'ticularly the doors which support the fol ing pedal mechanism and close the opening therefor in the lower ortion of the case.

In t e embod lment of the invention which is chosen for illfpstration herein the sliding door or panel which closes the tracker box in the upper portion of the case is made to elk feet, y its opening movement, the release oi the panel or door which sup orts the foldingl pedals, the intermediate evices being so constructed as to permit them to return to locking osition, so as to hold the pedal door or panel? if desired, as the tracker box. pedal reaches its extreme open position. Means are also provided, for operation by the hand or by the foot of the performer, to return the folding pedal door to closed position. -Furthermore, means are provided for closing from within the pedal opening when the pedals are in their open or operative iosition, thereby preventing the exposure oft ie mechanism.,

The several features of the invention will be more fully explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a view in front elevation show ing the pedal door or panel and the meansfor releasing the same by the opening of the tracker box door and the means for closing the vsame by hand, the piano casing being represented in outline and by dotted lines and the pedal doorjbeing shown in its closedposition. Fig. .2 is a partial similar view,

but showing the pedals unfolded or in their operative position. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section, looking to the ri ht in Figs. 1 and 2 and showing the peda unfolded. Fig. 4 is a. transverse vertical section, similar to F ig. 3, but looking to the left in Figs. ,l

and 2 and showing the pedal doors closed.v Fig. 5 is a detail plan view, showing the relaL tion of the tracker boxdoor and the lever operated thereby.' Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating means for closing the pedal door by the foot oi the erformer.

In the embodiment of the invention represented in the drawings the tracker boit Otan automatic upright piano is indicated as acF cessible. for the purpose of inserting and Vremoving the music roll through an opening a formed therefor in the swinging front panel a of the upper part of the piano casing, the opening being closed by sliding doors or panels c, c, arranged to slide .in ways c ser cured to the iront casing or panel CL.Y @ne of the panel doors c has secured to it a iinger or projection c2 which, in the movement 'of the door, engages a rod d which forms one arm of a bell crank lever as hereinafter de scribed. The rod d is mounted in a block e so as to be capable of swinging away from the front casing and it is guided at its upper end in a guide plate f which has a cam slot f, the slot being turned away from the front casing at its'outer end so that as the rod d is pushed by tlhe finger or projection c2 toward the right hand in Figs. l and 5, it will be caused to move out of engagement with the finger asI it approaches the limit of its move ment andso permitted to return to its initial positi niiwlrile the door 'e remains open. A ilat spriiigflQbears against the rod d, pressing it no1hially`toward the front casing. block e in which the rod d is mounted is itself pivot-ed, as at c, so as to be swung upon its pivot by the rod din the movement of the latter, and forms the other arm or member oi the bell crank lever. Below the outer. or free end of thel block or arm e is mounted ,a vertically movable, spring lifted plunger which rests, at its lower end, upon a spring The v spring t, so that Qin lthe Ausual manner,

l being effected by the weight of the door,

lto the closed position in which it it held by l the pedals t. The door i, is carried, as usual, b arms izvsecured to short shafts t3 mounte in the bearing blocks t4. A spring t5 secured to one of the arms t2 and beain against the lower portion ofthe casing, be ow the axis upon which the door swings, serves to start the door outward as soon as it is released by the latch, the further movement of the door performer the door or panel 'i can be start ed from its lowest position.

ln order that the pedal opening may be closed and exposure, of theA mechanismrprevented when the pedals are unfolded oriin their operative position, -there is provided, within the casing and in rear Iof the pedal opening, a light shutter o, which is loosely suspended at its upper end by flexible straps 0, and at its lower end is suitably cut away to permit the roper movement of the edels. A spring p, e early shown in Fig. l, is suitably secured to thecasing to press the upper end of againstthe front casing.

lt will now be understood that when the door c is opened it effects the release of the pedal door or panel t. As the door c, however, is opened to its full extent, the unlatching devices are themselves released and permitted to return to their normal, inoperative position, at once be rengaged by the latch and held from opening should it be so desired. If the pedals have been unfolded to their full extent and it is desired to fold them again Vand to close the pedal opening, the pedal door or anel is easily started from'its extreme position, either by the hand or by the foot ofthe erformer, and is moved to a position in which it can be readily grasped and its moveinent continued to .the closed position, all without requiring the performer to move from his seat or substantially from the playing position.. As the pedal door or panel reaches its closed position the shutter o yields inward bodily and also swings upon its 'iiexible hinges to such an extent as to per/- mit the pedal door or panel to be closed without interference.

or by the hand of the performer or both. A spring t co erates with the door or panel t, preferably t rough an extension of one of the arms t2, acting, during the downward movement of the door or panel, at one side l of the axis to partially oounterbalance the door or panel 1n its downward movement and acting when the door or panel reaches its lowest position, substantially through the axis, whereby the lifting power of the spring is reduced, although the tension of the spring is increased, andthe door or panel is permitted to remain stationary in such lowest position under the influence of the overbalancing weight of the door or panel and of the parts movable therewith or carried thereby. For the purpose of raising the door or anel L from its lowest-position without requiring the performer to stoop to the iloor, one of the shafts 'L3 is provided with a crank arm k. In the lconstruction shown in Figs. 1, 2,'3'and 4, the crank `arm k is connected by a rod-m with an arm n of a rockshai't n which is supported in suitable bearings and is provided with a crank arm n2 in a convenient position to be grasped by the hand of .the performer. 'Downward pressure on the arm n2, throughthe described connec tions, lifts the door or panel i from its lowest position, in which it is held yieldingly b the it can-be grasped readilry by the performer and its movement continued lt will be observed that the devices for unlatching the pedal door or panel i are so constructed and combined with the movable frontpanel a and with the sliding door or panel c as to ermit the front l panel a to be swung outwar( for service as a \music rack, as indicated in Fig. 4, without the latch 7L. ln order that the arm n2 may be returned immediately to its normal and inconspicuous position, the connecting rod 'm is composed of two parts m and m2, one of which telescopes lwithin the other, while a spring m3 is interposed between the two parts. One of the parts, as fm', is also rovided with a pin or projection m4. Vi en,

therefore, the arm n2 1s depressed the spring 'm3 is compressed until the pin m4 makes conl tact with the end of the part 'm2 of the rod i and the continued movement of the arm n2 l is then 'imparted to the door or panel il As soon as the arm or handle n2 is released by the performer, the spring m3 restores it to its which is at the bottom of the piano and subnormal or inconspicuous position, regardless stantially in the plane of the front of the casofthe position ofthe door or panel t. l ln the ing. The arrangement of the two doors `to construction shown in Fig. 6 the crank arm k swing upon different axes, with one of the iA doors, t, which bears the pedals, swinging is connected by a link k with afoot press k2, so that by the application of the foot of the l upon an axis or center which is above the interfering with the operation of the case openingdevices, which are' capable of operapanel. K

lt will be seen that the entire pedal opening is closed, when the pedals are raised., by two doors t and p.v The door t, which car ries the pedals, swings upon an axis t which is substantially above the bottom of the iano and within the front of the piano, while the door 'p swings upon an axis p so that the pedal door or panel may-` tion regardless of the position of the front somos 'itxis p', permits the one door to pass under 'the other and the (pedal bearing door to swing somewhat inwar toward the front of the "piano, as it reaches'its lowest position, so that when it is in playing position it stands conveniently close to the front of the casing and is not projected outward from the front of 'not to be restricted to the precise details of construction shown and described herein.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a case, a plurality of movablev doo-rs,y a latch engaging one of said doors to hold it in closed position, intermediate devices actuated by the opening` of another of said doors to disengage the latch, and means to disconnect said intermediate devices as the last named door is opened to its full extent, whereby the first named door may be rengaged and held closed by the latch after the opening of the last named door.

n a mechanical musical instrument,

the combination of a case, a plurality of mov- -able doors, a latch engaging'one of said doors to hold it in closed position, intermediate devices actuated by the opening of another of said doors to disengage the latch, and comprising a movable member normally standing in the path of a finger actuated by the movement of another of said doors, and means to move said member out of the path of said finger vas the second named door is opened to its full extent, whereby the first named door may be rengaged and held closed by the latch after the opening of the second named door.

3. In a mechanical musical instrument,

- the combination of a case, a plurality of mov- 1 able doors, a latch engaging one of said doors to hold it in closed position, a lever and intermediate devices to opeiate the latch, one

member of said lever standing normally in the'path of a finger actuated by another of said doors, and means to move said member out of the path of said finger as the second named door is opened to its full extent, 1whereby the first named door may be reeng'aged and held closed by the latch after the opening of the second named door.

" hold it in closed position, apivoted block 4.- Ina mechanical musical instruirient, the combination of a case, a plurality of movabledoors, a latch engaging one of said doors and interrnedia'teV connections to operate the "fla'eh, amd-carried `bysaid block and movable with respect thereto and standing nor'- mally in the path of a finger carried by another of said doors, and means to move said rod out of the path of said finger as the second named door is opened to its full extent, whereby the first named door may .be reengaged and held closed by the latch after the opening of the second named door.

5. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a case, a plurality ofmovable doors, a latch engaging one of said doors to hold it in closed position, a pivoted block and intermediate devices to 'operate the latch, a rod carried by said block and movable with respectthereto and a cam guide for said rod by which said rod is held in the path of movement of a finger actuated by another of said doors during the first art of the movement thereof and is move out of the path of said finger during the latter part of said movement, whereby the first named door may be rengaged and held closed by` the latch after the opening of the second named door.

6. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a case, folding pedal mechanism, a latch engaging said mechanism to hold it in closed position, a sliding tracker box door, intermediate devices actuated by the opening of the tracker box door to disengage the latch', andmeaiis to disconnect said devices as the tracker box door is opened to its full extent, whereby the pedal mechanism may be rengaged and held closed by the latch after the opening of the tracker box door.

A7. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a case, folding pedal mechanism, a latch engaging said mechanism to hold it in closed position, a sliding tracker box door, a lever and intermediate mechanism to operate the latch, said lever having movable ymember standing lnormally in the path of a projection carried by the tracker box door,'and means to move said member out of the pathof said projection as the tracker box door is opened to its full extent, whereby the pedal mechanism may be rengaged and held closed by the .latch after the opening of the tracker box door.

8. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a case, folding pedal mechanism, a latch engaging said mecliane ism to hold it in closed position., a sliding tracker box door, a lever and intermediate mechanism to o )crate the latch, said lever having a'movable member standing normally in' the path of a projection carried by the tracker box door, and' a camv guide for .said member maintaining the same" normally in the path of azpojectionpaearriedf by the .tracker bor-.door 'and throwing-it out of the combination of door, folding pedal mechanism,

adapted to be actuated by the performer to start the pedal mechanism from its open po-y sition. y

' 11. In a mechanical musical instrument, a case having a pedal opening, a pedal door therefor, and devicesf independent of the pedal door and adapted to be actuated by the performer to start said door from its open position.

12. ln a mechanical music'al instrument, the combination of a case having a pedal opening, folding pedal mechanism, a pedal door supporting said mechanism and devices independent of the door and adapted to be actuated by the performer to start the door from its open position.

13. ln a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a case having a pedal opening, a pedal, door, a spring cooperating with said door to hold it in open position an devices independent of the door and adapted to be actuated by the performer to start the door from its open position.

14. In a mechanical lmusical instrument, the combination of a case having a pedal. opening, a pivoted pedal door, a crank arm connected with said door and means connected with 'said crank arm and, adapted to be actuated by the performer to start the door from its open position.

15. in a mecl'ianical musical instrument, l the combination of a case having a pedal opening, a pivoted pedal door, a crank arm connected with said door, a crank arm adapt- .ed to be actuated by the performer and a link y connecting said crank arms.

i6. ln a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a case having a pedal opening, a pivoted pedal door, a crank arm connected with said door, a crank arm adapted to be actuated by the performer and a l link connecting said crank arms, said link comprising two relatively movable parts'and an interposed spring.

17. In a mechanical musical instrument,, the combination of a case having a pedal and ashutter adapted to close the opening when the pedal mechanism is open and yieldingly supported `to permit the pedal mechanism to be closed Without interference.

181 ln a mechanical musical instrument,

the combination of a case having a pedal ipening, folding pedal mechanism, a shutter to close said opening from the inside and flexible straps supporting said shutter whereby the shutter may yield bodily and swing to permit the pedal mechanism to be folded without interference.

19. 1n a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a case having a pedal. opening, folding edal mechanism, a yielding shutter to close aid opening from the inside, flexible supports for said shutter, and a spring permitting said shutter to yield bodily as the pedal mechanism is folded and operat ing to close the shutter as the pedal mechanu ism is opened. y

20. ln a mechanical musical instrument,A the combination of folding pedal mechanism and means operable by the Iperformer without moving substantially from a playing poe. 'sition toA close and open the pedal mech anism.

21. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a case, a folding pedal mechanism, a latch engaging saidpedal mech anism to hold it in closed position, a swinging music rack and means supported in part by said swinging music rack and operable in either position thereof for disengaging `said latch.

22. ln a mechanical the combination of a case, a swinging panel, pedal mechanism movable therewith, and a` spring co-acting with the panel and placed' under tension at one side of the aXs and they panel during the first portion of the downward movement of the panel tocounterbal-v ance the same and acting substantially through the axis of the panel as the panel reaches its lowest position the lifting power of the spring being thereby reduced as its tension increases to permit the panel to re-- main stationary in such lowest osition.

n a mechanical musica instrument, the combination of a case, a swinging panel, pedal mechanism carried thereby, a pivoted supporting arm for said panel having an err tension beyond the axis, and va spring coacting with said extension and placed under tension at one side of the plane of the panel during the first portion of the downward movementl of the panel to counterb alance the musical instrument, n

same and acting against said extension substantially'through the axis of the panel as the panel reaches its lowest position, the vliftingpower of the spring being thereby reduced as I its tension increases to permit the panel to remain stationary in such lowest osition.

24. in a mechanical musica instrument, the combination of a case having a pedal opening, answinging panel closing the upper portion of `the opening, edal mechanism movable with said pane and a second swinging panel to close the lower portion of upon an axis substantially at the bottoml of said opening, said panel swinging u on diflthe case whereby the one panel passes under ferent axes' whereby the one pane passes the other and the pedal carrying panel stands 1.5 under the other when in playing position. close to the front of the case when in playing 5 25. Inra mechanical musical instrument, position.

the combination of ya case having a pedal This specification si ned and witnessed opening, a swinging panel closing the upper l this fourteenth day o December, A. D., portion of the' opening and swin ing upon i 1907. an axis substantially above the ottom of l JOHN A. WESER. 10 the ease, pedal .mechanism carried by said Signed in the presence of-d panel and a second swinging panel to close the MAX LEVIAN,

ower portion of said opening and swinging W. B. GREELEY. 

